Polarity-reversing switch



S. F. BRIGGS AND E. N JACOB),

POLARITY REVEHSING SWITCH.

APPLICAHDN mw ms. 1o, van.

1,408,687. Patented Mar. 7, 192- 3 SHkElS-SHEET 2A rfi 'fg s. F. BPIGGS AND s. N. M0081.

PULAHITY REVERSiNG SWITCH.

APPLICATION msu fas. m, 1917.

1 ,408,687. Patented Mar- 7, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN r. nmGGs AND EDwAnD N. JAcoBI, F MILWAUKEE. wisconsin,

Assxgaioas rro sarees a-s'raATToN COMPANY. or MILWAUKEE. wisconsINf CORPORATION or wIscoNsIN.

Aiapiicauoii ined February io, 1917.

`V T6 all @nimm it my com-ern:

. Be it -known that we," STEPHEN F. Biuucs and EDWARD N. JAooI, citizens of the .United States, and residents of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invente'd new and useful Iml provements in Polarity-Reversin Switches, of which th'e following is a description, reference. being had to the accompanying drawin which are a part ofthis specification.

his invention has for its object to provide a polarity reversing switch of the rotary tyl e, controlled by a ke so as to be'locked wiienl the key is remove and therefore suitable forcontrolling the ignition circuit of V'automobile gas engines in order that unauthorized use of the automobile may be prevented'and in order that the direction 0f current flow through the ignition apparatus may be reversed with successive o ei'atons ofthe switch to minimize pitting o contacts by which the battery circuit is frequently made and broken during the operation of the engine.

'Another 'object of the invention is to produce such a switch with lock mechanism that will be practically incapable of operation in the-absence of the proper key to prevent theft of thel automobile. y

'Another object of the invention is to prolduce a polarity reversing switch' of the ro- Atary type With .a lratchet controlled switch 'meinber'and all parts compactly arranged to produce a strong and durable switch structure inex ensive to manufacture.

With tiie above and other objects in view the invention consists in the4 polarity reversin switch as herein claimed and all eqi'ilva ents.

Referring to the accompanying drawin in which like characters of reference `in icate the saine parts in different views:

Fig. I is a front view of a polarity switch constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a,.rear view off'the front plate with the base or terminal head removed;

Fi 4 is a similarv view with the switch mem r also removed;

Fig. 5 is a to view of the switch base or terminal hea a position of the contact springs in an off position of the switch being shown in dotted lines;

Specification of Letters Patent.

POLARITY-BEVERSING STNI'I'CH` Serial ND. 147,914.

Fig. 6 is a central sectional'view;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the deviceA throucgh two of the terminal bushings connecte y by' one of the contact springs;

F ig. 8 is a top view of the switch member; Fig. 9? is a perspective view of the key guide; i

Patented Mar. 7, i922.

Fig. 1G is a detailed sectional view showi ing the mounting of the key guide;

Fig. 11 is a central sectional view of a;

modified forni of the switch in which a multiple"tumbler lock is incorporated therein; Fig. 12 is a bottom' Viewv thereof with parts sectioned and showin the position of the lock tumblers when t e key is'withdrawn; i 4

Fig. 13 is a further sectional view showing the engagement of the lock tumbler-s with the arms of the lock crab; and, y Iiig. 14 is a perspective view of `the lock cra i In these drawings 15.4 indicates a front plate provided with a ce tral opening surrounded by a bead conta ning four equally spaced notches formin \ky slots 16 at right angles to each other. ,i ecurd t'o the back of the front plate, as by means of rivets 17, is a cup-shaped switch case 18 with its top `forniinga downwardly extending annular {ian-ge 19'around the central opening of the fronti:I

plate.

A key guide, 20, consisting of a stri of.,

sheet metal cut andV formed as shown in ig.

9, has itsoppositely directed semi-circular top flanges 21 fitting within the annular flange 19 and bearing against thegbe'ad of the front plate. The lower end of this U- shaped key guide has it's opposite shoulders cut awa so that `the central portion forms an archike projection 22 which bears within the round central portion of 'a crossshaped opening 23 at the center of a funnely tact springs 28 which are riveted'to the insulatingblocks 25 and have their downthe key guide and then passes between the.

.adapted to wardly' bent ends terminating in spherically convexed switch contacts bearing against an insulating block 29 secured within the casing by screws 30. The insulating block 29 forms a terminal head with terminal bushings 31 passing therethrough and forming equidistant contacts engaged by the convexed ends of the contact springs 28. The four terminal bushings have screws threaded in them with washers forming binding posts 32, two diametrically opposite bindin posts being intended for connection with t e terminals of the battery while the others are connected withthe terminals of the ignition system.

The terminal head 29 has a central recess 33'into which the cylindrical lower end of the' cup-shaped switch member 24 projects to obtain a guide bearing. A'flat key 34 is be inserted through one key slot 16 or the other according to the position of arallel side walls of the key guide which ave springtongues 35 cut .therefrom to bear' with pressure against opposite faces of the 'key and the two horns 36 at the end of the key straddle the stirrup or contracted bent portion 22 of the key guide and enter the cross-shaped opening 23 of the switch member 24. In the fully inserted position of the key, determined by its end between the horns 364 engaging the bent portion of the key guide, opposite notches 37 therein register with the head of the front plate so that the key may be tanned and in so doing rotate the switch member to carry each spring the insulating terminal head from oneterminal bushin to the.l next or to positions between termlnal bushin These positions for the contacts are determined bv the ratchet teeth 27 -which compel the switch member to be turned progressively in the 'same direction Vand thus necessitate the change 'in polarity ,of the circuit cdhnections with each succeeding closing of s uch conn'ections. The Contact s rings 28 in one closed position 'of the switc conneetv abattery terminal bushing with an ignition circuit terminal bushin on one side thereof while in the next close position they connect said battery terminal bushing with the ignition circuit terminal bushing on the other side thereof, thus reversing the direction of current through the ignition circuit. Having mpved the switch member fromdan on position to an o' position by the turning of the key a distance indicated on the front plate by appropriate markings thereon it is impossible to turn the key back so as to reestablish the circuit with the same direction of current How on account of the action of the ratchet, and the key will only register with the key slots., 16 in the front plate ,when the switch is in an off position and consequently its removal is prevented whenever the switch is in position to close 4the circuit. With the ignition switch in the ol' position and the key removed theft of the automobile is prevented through the inability of the engine to operate with its ignition circuit open and the switch may not be closed by means other than the key, such for instance as a screw driverl` for the engaging notches of the cross-shaped opening 23 in the switch member 24 are inaccessible except through the openings on oppositesides of the bent portion 22 of the key guide 20. The cross-shaped key openings also lprevent such false operation of the switch. v

The switch member is rotatably held in lace by the terminal head and the spring acion of the contact springs serves to hold it against the top of the case to cooperate with the ratchet teeth.

A modification of the invention in which the switch is positively locked against false operation by means of a multiple tumbler lock mechanism is shown in Figs. 11 to 14, inclusive, wherein, in place of the key `guide 20, the cylindrical portion of*I the switch member 24 has secured within it by means of screws 38 a cylindrical lock barrel 39 with a sinuous key passageway therethrough to receive a corrugated key 40. This lock barrel is crossed transversely' by a number of tumbler plates 41 having openin s through which the irregular edges of t e key tit and said tumblers are adapted to pro- 100 ject `from the barrel when the key is re= moved. Instead of the annular Hange 19 the edge of the lock case around lits central o ening has riveted thereto the outwardly ent ends of the four upstanding arms of a lSkala-4105 ton lock frame 42, as shown in Fig. 14, the lower ring portion of which fits around the J lock barrel 39. When the key is removed thel sliding` tumblers 41 are adapted to project from-the lock barrel 39 and lit between the 110 parallel arms of the stationary lock frame 42, as shown in Fig. 12, so that the lockbarrel can only be turned when all the tumblers are withdrawn therein by the use of a key having ed es of the proper contour to corre! 115 spend witi the irre lar positioning of the openings of the sli ing tumblers as shown in Fig. 11. The other features of the switch structure correspond with the form of the inyention first described.

What We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A ratchet switch, comprising apasing having ratchet teeth, a rotary switch Lmeniber within the Casing, ratchet teeth ou one 125 face thereof to cooperate with the ratchet teeth of the switch casing to permit the switch member to turn only in one direction, contactsprings ou the other face of the switch member, and a terminal head in the 1.30

` therein also having switch casing havingr contactsA engaged by the contact springs, said contact spring serving to give pressure to the switch member to effect the engagement of the ratchet teeth.

2. A ratchet switch. comprising a switch case havingr ratchet teeth, a switch member head fitting in the switch case and provided with switch contacts, andspringv arms carried byA the switch member and bearing on the terminal head to force the ratchet teeth into engagement and adapted to contact with the switch contacts. I

3. A pole reversing switch, comprising a switch case provided with ratchet teeth, a rotary switch member within the switch case provided with cooperating ratchet teeth, a terminal head on the switch casing, means for giving pressure to the switch member forv forcing the ratchet teeth into engagement comprising spring contacts on the switch member bearing on the terminal head, and switch contacts on the terminal head'engaged bythe spring contacts in different ratchet determined positions of the switch member for effecting di'erent circuit connections.

4. A pole reversing switch, comprising a switch case provided with ratchet'teeth. a rotary member therein provided with coop erating ratchet teeth, a terminal hcad in the switch case. switch contacts thereon, and bowed contact springs on the switch member engaging the terminal head and giving pressure to the switch member for holding the ratchet teeth in engagement` said bowed contact springs engaging and connecting dif- 'ferent pairs of switch contacts in different positions4 of the switch member.

5. A switch, comprising a switch case, a terminal head secured thereto and provided with a central opening and with switch contacts, aswitch member having a central cyratchet teeth, i terminal' lindrical portion fitting within the recess of the terminal head, .contact springs carried by the switch member and bearing on the terminal head for engaging the switch contacts thereof, a cylindrical lock barrel secured to the cylindrical portion of the switch member and passing through the switch case, a lock frame secured to the switch case and surrounding the lock barrel and having arms with spaces therebetween, tumblers in the lock barrel projecting between the. arms of the lock frame, and a key fitting in the lock barrel and engaging the sliding tumblers for withdrawing them from between the arms of/the lock frame to permit the switch member to be turned by means of the key.

6. A switch, comprising a switch case, a terminal head secured thereto and provided with a central opening and switch contacts, a switch member having a central cylindrical portion fitting within the recess of the terminal head, contact springs carried by the switch member and bearing on the terminal head to engage the switch contacts, a lock member within the cylindrical portion of the switch member and a cylindrical skeleton lock frame surrounding the lock member with upwardl extending spaced arms riveted to the en of the switch case adapted to have the lock member engage the arms thereof, and a key for the lock member for removing it from engagement with the arms of the lock frame ,and for turning the switch member.

In testimony whereof, we atiix our signai tures, in presence of tvi'o witnesses.

STEPHEN F. BRIG lrS. EDWARD N. JACOBI.

Witnesses:

` R. S. C. CALDWELL,

VH. D. CHASE. 

